Quote Originally Posted by azfiddle View Post
My reason for recommending 10X: I personally prefer the amount of detail I can see with 10 power binoculars, especially for difficult identification situations (i.e. sparrows, fall warblers, shore birds etc). If the interest in birding is more casual then the greater amount of light and bigger field of view with a lower power would have a benefit.

Although I have not been an active birder for quite a while, my experience includes 10 years working as a field biologist, avid recreational birder and graduate student in ecology/ornithology.

I think your level of interest (obsession) would affect the choice as well.
I agree. I have two sets of Nikons, an 8 and a 10 power as well as a scope. Kind of on the high level of obsession, but not quite there because I'm not into photography much and so I don't have any high level lenses.